


And now for the Scudders

by FixaIdea



Category: Maurice (1987), Maurice - E. M. Forster
Genre: Family, Family Feels, Gen, Mostly Positive, Post-Canon, mentions of Alec/Maurice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 12:46:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18917299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FixaIdea/pseuds/FixaIdea
Summary: There was no love lost between Maurice and his family, but Alec could not and would not burn all the bridges behind himself.





	1. Mrs Scudder

Night was falling over Osmington and Mrs Scudder was puttering about in her small kitchen. It had been a day since the _Normannia_ sailed out and still there was no word from Alec. She sighed, scrubbing hard at a plate, as if she could scrub away her worry and frustration. She was so preoccupied and lost in her thoughts she almost missed the soft knock from the direction of the open window.

There was a figure there, just outside.

‘Licky!’

She rushed over and leant out the window. It was indeed Alec, who quickly backed away just out of arm’s reach.

‘Licky, in you come you rascal! What was all that about? Where were you?’

Alec had the decency to look a little bit contrite, but he did not come closer.

‘Is dad home yet?’

‘Not yet, no. But talk already, what happened? We were worried sick!’

Alec fixed his gaze on the ground. For a moment he stood in silence, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. Finally he took a deep breath.

‘There’s a girl.’

Mrs Scudder raised her eyes skywards.

‘Oh you silly boy! Licky, darling, there’s more than enough girls in the Argentine!’

‘Not like this one, there’s only one of this one.’

There was a fierce light in his eyes, it was obvious there was no arguing with him. Mrs Scudder sighed and shook her head.

‘You could have said something. There now – if she’s so special, why not bring her around?’

Alec looked around, as if scared of being overheard, then stepped closer.

‘See, that’s the problem. If it came out, it would be a right scandal. We can’t never marry, not here, not where her family might get wind of it.’

‘Now that just sounds shady.’

‘It’s not, it’s really, not, it’s just that she’s a lady and her family would disown her if they found out. We figured if she’s getting cut off anyway we may as well run off in quiet and spare her the trouble.’

Mrs Scudder continued to shake her head.

‘Darling, you can’t possibly believe some nobby lady would run away with you!’

Alec smiled. He stepped up to the window and squeezed his mother’s hand.

‘She already did, she came to me and we’re leaving. Don’t you worry about us’ he went on ‘We planned it all out. She has a good bit of money, I’ll find some job, and she can work as a typist. We’ll be just fine!’

Mrs Scudder held on to him with one hand, dabbed at her eyes with the other.

‘This is madness. Be careful, be very careful! What if she gets bored of this little adventure?’

Alec propped his elbows on the windowsill and looked deeply into her eyes.

‘I trust her. I love her.’

He hugged her and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and drew away.

‘I must go now, but I’ll write as soon as I can! Say hello to dad for me!’

‘You do that Licky! And for the love of God please take care of yourself!’

In a blink of an eye, he was gone. For a couple of long seconds Mrs Scudder remained by the window, staring at the spot where he had stood. With a deep, dejected sigh she returned to her work, still shaking her head and muttering to herself. Darkness fell outside, turning the window into nothing but a black rectangle on the wall. She snuck one last glance at it and despite herself smiled a little, pressing her hand above her heart.

‘How _romantic_ though!’


	2. Mr Scudder

The train was running late. Mr Scudder knew that after ten years ten more minutes should be nothing, but he was getting anxious. It’s been ten years since Fred sailed and Alec disappeared, ten years since he saw either of his sons. This was about to change now.

Fred truly found his luck in Argentina and now had the money and could afford to take the time to come home for a visit. Going by the photographs he occasionally included in his letters he had a beautiful family – Mrs Scudder could hardly wait to see the grandchildren. The idea to invite Alec was also hers. Mr Scudder had no objection, though he was slightly, if pleasantly, surprised that Alec actually accepted it, and without asking for help in paying for the trip. That was a good sign, because if at least half of what he wrote over the years was true he was living near Marseille now, had to come up from all the way down there.

Oh, the letters. When Alec first went missing Mr Scudder was furious. He swore he only had one son and that he would do nothing with an irresponsible scoundrel who threw his career away for some pretty skirt – a sentiment that lasted until the arrival of Alec’s first letter. Though it took Mr Scudder almost a year to completely forgive him, he perked up at any and all signs of life from his youngest.  Alec had his ups and downs – by the end of the War he almost stopped writing completely, only to pick up the pace soon after – but for the most part he sounded contented enough. Still, there were details that, to Mr Scudder at least, just did not add up.

The most obvious was a gaping, woman-shaped hole. Sure, there were some mentions of the mysterious lady, but not nearly as much as you would expect from a man as deeply in love as Alec claimed to be. There were no photographs either, not a single one, not even after the War when their lot started to improve. No mention of children either, no plans, no reason for or regret over not having them. Also on one memorable occasion Alec called her Maggie instead of the usual Mary. That was enough to raise even Mrs Scudder’s eyebrows, though she usually took Alec’s word on everything. Still, she found a way to explain it: this was supposed to be some upper class lady, and the posher you were the longer and more complicated name you had. Maybe she was both Mary and Maggie.

A sharp whistle jolted Mr Scudder out of his thoughts: the train was finally coming. It was the middle of the day and only a few people were getting off, so he spotted Alec right away. He didn’t look half bad – not posh by any means, but not like he was struggling either. Whatever else was or wasn’t true of his letters, it looked like he at least didn’t lie about living in Southern France if his tan was anything to go by. He waved at his father when he noticed him and ran up to him with a cheerful grin. After they were done hugging Mr Scudder held his son at arm’s length.

‘There, look at you all grown up! Grow yer beard out and you’ll look right like a man!’ he peered at the now empty platform behind Alec ‘What, no missus then?’

‘Nah’ said Alec, rubbing the back of his neck ‘She wasn’t up to travelling, see. Nothing serious, but she wouldn’t risk it.’

‘Maybe a kid on the way at last?’

Alec laughed a little.

‘Could be, could be!’

The way home was spent in relative silence, though once they arrived Mrs Scudder made up for that in spades. She would not stop hugging and kissing her son, gushing over how handsome he’s become. She would have gone on, but she suddenly remembered she was meant to pick up a dress she’d had fixed up from the tailor and rushed off, instructing Alec to feel at home and help himself to anything he found in the pantry.

Mr Scudder was glad she was gone – he wanted a word with his son, preferably at some place private. He sat him down at the kitchen table and poured out a glass of gin for them both.

‘So, you speak French now, eh? Say something!’

‘Mais qu’ est-ce que tu veux que je dire?’

Mr Scudder laughed and nudged his son’s arm with affection.

‘You posh bird, you!’

They talked about Alec’s journey for a while, then about Mr Scudder’s own business. When the conversation lulled Mr Scudder let Alec sit in silence for a while, contemplating how to bring up his suspicion. He opted for bluntness.

‘Is he treating you right?’

Alec almost spat his gin out – he coughed and sputtered and shook his head.

‘Wha-? I dunno what…’

Well, well. It was a shot in the dark, but apparently it hit bullseye.

‘Son. Just answer.’

Alec went terribly pale and the glass in his hand started to shake. Mr Scudder shook his head – he didn’t mean to scare him so. He reached out and awkwardly patted him on the back.

‘There now. Would of skinned you alive if I found this out ten years ago, but I’m just glad to see you in one piece now. So just tell me, are you happy?’

Alec kept looking at him for a moment longer, throat working in silence. Finally he downed the rest of his gin and ducked his head.

‘Yes. Pretty much all I wrote was true, ‘cept for the bit where he’s a man.’

‘Anyone I know?’

‘No, I don’t think so. Remember my time at Penge?’

‘Sure. One of the servants there?’

‘No, one of Mr Durham’s friends.’

Now it was Mr Scudder’s turn to almost choke on his gin. After he stopped sputtering and gasping for air he gaped at Alec.

‘For the love of God! I can’t decide which is more boggling, that you was stupid enough to believe a gent like that would run off with you, or that he really did it!’

Alec laughed softly. Mr Scudder took a deep, calming breath and exhaled slowly.

‘Well then. Does he have a name then, this mysterious man of yours?’

‘Maurice’ said Alec with a small smile ‘Maurice Hall.’

Mr Scudder reacted only with a noncommittal grunt – then frowned, a fraction of a vague memory resurfacing.

‘Hall, you say? Big, tall fellow, is he?’

‘Yes?’

‘Came to see you off when you was gonna sail with Fred!’ Mr Scudder threw his head back and laughed ‘Some conspirator you are, Licky! If you want to run off with someone ain’t it easier if they knows it?’

Alec pulled a sour face but he was fighting a grin too.

‘I told him, I did! It ain’t my fault he wasn’t home to get my wire!’

Mr Scudder chuckled and tossed back the rest of his gin.

‘Right then. Yer mother is dead set on believing every word you wrote, but you gotta be careful around Fred and family. They should be here in a couple of days. And son?’

‘Yes?’

‘Do pick a name and try to stick to it.’


End file.
